In their annual Sci-Fi Preview this week, which features "Smallville's" Tom Welling and Erica Durance as Clark and Lois on one of three variant covers, TV Guide Magazine coaxes Smallville co-creator/exec producer Alfred Gough into offering up appetizers to the main course that is Season Seven.
The S7 premiere (airing September 27) features the introduction of Clark's 19-year-old cousin, Kara (Canadian Laura Vandervoort, "Mutant X").
Watching over Kara is "another step in Clark's journey," says Gough. "He's no longer in child mode. He's given responsibility over someone else."
Kara has strength, speed, x-ray vision... and she can fly.
Clark also will be showing his caring side to Lois, who, according to Gough, will become more of "the Lois Lane we know from the Superman mythology" as she continues to develop as a reporter, landing at the Daily Planet...where new editor Grant Gabriel (Michael Cassidy, "The O.C.") will take more than a professional interest in her.
Also, the Justice League may resurface later in the season.
"And hopefully," says Gough, "we can introduce some new members."